“First thing, I’d like to test out an ability I just got as part of my Initiation?” I ask Taiwo as we settle into the booth. It’s comfortable, if a bit expansive for the two of us. The way it dampens exterior noise is great, but I don’t really want to yell at him. And it seems weird to sit close together at a huge table.

  “Sure, go ahead - sounds great,” he says as we’re sliding into position and I realize right away that a related enchantment must enable people who are sitting at the same booth to hear each other more easily. I’m not worried with my Perception about hearing Taiwo, but not needing to shout is a great bonus. I do wonder if maybe someone is using this enchantment to listen in on everyone’s conversations, but I’m in a High Enforcer Club and possibly there should be some limits to my paranoia? Or maybe that should make me more paranoid? I decide that if this is a standard ability there’s nothing wrong with me working out how to use it while we’re in a secure location.

  I decide not to go too overboard with my first try changing what people can see about me and trigger the Title to update the way my Status looks to others. I know for a fact Taiwo’s Perception is not greater than my Charisma and my Luck combined, plus he’s still Legendary, so there should be no chance he can see through what I’ve done.

  “Pull my Status and show me what it says?” I ask him when I’m done.

  He takes a second to look at the notification he’s opened with interest before sending it over to me.

  Bronwic Cadimus, Exterminator, Overachiever, Powerhouse, Explorer, Bastion

  (Level 10 Human Warrior) (Legendary)

  [Human] [KCC Finalist]

  Health: 8750/8750

  Mana: 3180/3180

  Conditions: Greater Regeneration, Unbreakable, Danger Sense

  “Nifty and useful,” he says. “I assume that since I can’t see through it even though I know you and I’m Legendary Class, it’s going to work for the vast majority of people?”

  “You’d basically have to be an Ascended Class with Perception higher than my Charisma and Luck combined.”

  “In other words, probably nobody,” he comments.

  “Let me try a few other things and see how far I can push it. I’m keen to see if I can change my base Class, show up as Basic Class, see if I can reduce my Health and Mana along with the changes. Stuff like that.”

  “Sure, I’ll pull your Status and send you the notification of it each time.”

  We spend about ten minutes stretching the capability as far as it can go. I can’t push my Status down below Mythic or into a Class that’s Mana-dominated rather than physically based, or make up new Titles and Conditions that I don’t actually have, but other than that it’s super flexible. We’re just about to move on to see if I can show up as a new species when a looming presence enters our booth’s area of influence.

  “You probably shouldn’t be flaunting that,” says the newcomer in a voice with a mechanical tone. I look over and although my Danger Sense is silent I wonder if that’s a mistake based on who is taking a seat at the edge of our booth.

  An imposing, broad-shouldered cybernetic alien with mottled, scarred slate-gray hide and thick ridges running over his brow and down the side of his neck views us with casual disinterest. The left half of his face has been replaced by metal plating that’s fused into the ridged contours of his jaw. A red optic is set within the metal and marks a stark contrast to the green eyeball with a cat-like pupil on the organic side of his face, or at least what looks organic. His left arm, both legs, and parts of his body have been replaced by heavy-looking mechanical components that my Mana Affinity can feel are heavily infused with Mana, perhaps even with some Dark Mana based on how it feels physically hot to my senses. Wherever he’s not mechanical, his powerful muscles are covered with hide reminiscent of scale armor that’s covered in faded tattoos in an alien script. He looks weathered, with graying hair and a sense of age about him. Oddly, he’s wearing one of the uniforms the people who work in the Enclave wear, except it hangs loosely from his shoulders and is riddled with plasma burns, tears, and frayed edges.

  “Anything else we should know?” I ask half-sarcastically as I pull up his Status and then immediately regret my instinct to run my mouth.

  Syvox the Punisher, Breaker of the Quellar Siege, Shield of the Colonies, Unstoppable Force, Fallen Hero, Slayer of Rift Beasts, Nolldarvian Ghelaks, more… (Level 25 Biomechanical Redeemer) (Enhanced Ascended)

  [Cybernetic Champions Emeritus] [SSA Special Forces] [Disillusioned]

  “Yeah. These SSA Enforcement fuckers and the AI are all full of shit. You figured that out yet?” he asks, tilting his head at me and disregarding Taiwo entirely. The weight of his actual interest is intense, though it recedes as quickly as it comes back to bored disinterest.

  “Still figuring it all out,” I reply carefully. “Just Initiated today. Aren’t you one of us?”

  “No shit? Getting Initiated as a High Enforcer? That’s got to be some kind of all time record for weird shit,” he says. I note he ignores my question and decide not to press it.

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  I quickly check the Status I’m displaying to people and confirm it’s not my actual Status, which means Syvox has some kind of crazy Perception or some other way to determine things about me. Or maybe he’s been watching me for a while.

  “Don’t know anything about that,” I mention. “My world was hit by an Influx a couple of years ago and then another one recently. Just trying to get by.”

  “As a High Enforcer?” Syvox muses. “You must have done some stuff on a Galactic scale at least, for that.” As he’s talking his red optic starts to glow a more intense red.

  I glance at Taiwo, who hasn’t said anything.

  “We’re both best served if I’m invisible. You pull his Status?” Taiwo asks in the Group Party Chat.

  “Yes, he has,” says Syvox absently, to my intense frustration. My Danger Sense is still silent, but this feels more and more uncomfortable the longer it goes on.

  “Ah…” Syvox breathes as his red optic dims again to its previous intensity. I find myself wondering if he needs to breathe or what kind of punishment his body can take. “Oblivion Shroud? KCC Galactic Finalist and KCT winner? That can’t be all of the story…”

  “Everyone’s got a tale to tell. Some of them are taller than others,” I reply, shrugging.

  “Maybe I’ll hang around and find out a bit more about what’s going on with you,” Syvox says in a way that says it’s not really a question. I have a well deserved reputation for not appreciating people imposing their will on me, and it’s about to rise up when we’re interrupted.

  “Syvox,” grates Kael in acknowledgement as he enters the booth. It’s neither a friendly nor a hostile greeting; Kael rides the line perfectly in that one word between welcome and implying that Syvox should leave any time, preferably as soon as possible.

  “This one of yours?” Syvox asks, orienting on Kael as he joins us on the side of the booth opposite to Syvox.

  “Something like that,” Kael answers.

  “I was just telling your boy that I might just tag along,” Syvox says to Kael and then turns his attention to Taiwo and I. “You can tell your other friend to go home, Her Skills and Affinity would get in the way of my contribution to the Party,” he says.

  “For how long?” I ask.

  “Until I kill her,” Syvox replies nonchalantly. He’s certainly not what I expected in a cyborg, but assumptions can get me killed so I don’t invest in them too heavily.

  “No,” I cut in as soon as he’s done, “I mean for how long are you thinking you’ll be part of our Party? I’m sure you have lots to do, and when you leave us we’ll still have need of someone who can handle the technology side of things and round out our Party.”

  “Oh, well I haven’t decided. I do have a couple of missions outstanding I should get to sometime.”

  “I thought you said the SSA and the AI are full of shit?” I ask, daring a confrontation to erupt if Syvox is that way inclined at the moment. If anything, his disillusionment shines through instead.

  “I used to do missions because of the missions, you know? To do some good and right wrongs and enforce the Protocols. Now… it’s just the Credits to make sure my tech is up to date. Can’t even get any XP from the ones I take anymore.”

  “Syvox, we need to move on,” Kael suggests. “Perhaps if you’re interested in Bronwic’s progress we can ensure you receive updates through the Enclave…?”

  “I calculate that just won’t do,” replies Syvox. “I think this one’s worth my time to stay close to.”

  For the first time I feel threat roll off of Kael as he stands up from the booth. Guards come rushing over, but I can tell whatever this is will be resolved before they get here, or something they won’t be able to affect anyway. Combat and dispute resolution at Ascended Class Level is either quick and brutal or long and drawn out, depending on the matchup. It very rarely falls in between.

  “So the Apex Hunter comes out, finally. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you properly fired up. Can you even get that passionate now, with what happened and your new Class? What are you wrapped up with this human for, Kael? Who’s making you dance with their strings?” Syvox asks, but it’s rhetorical.

  “Nobody you’d know from the SSA is looking after the humans,” Kael suggests. “If you’re looking for someone to ask about Earth or these two, I’d try Tenebris.”

  “Bah!” exclaims Syvox and he sweeps his metallic arm across the table as if to sweep away what’s there. “That fucker. Why’d you have to complicate this good thing we’re about to have going, Kael? I’ve got a lot of goddam wins under my belt, more than almost anyone, but not against him.”

  The cyborg looks thoughtful and I’m a bit out of my depth. Taiwo is uncharacteristically still and Kael seems a lot more animated than normal. After a few seconds Syvox looks back and forth between Kael and I. He still hasn’t acknowledged Taiwo in any way.

  “Maybe now’s time. Bronwic, add me as a Party member and I’ll help you to the best of my ability. Or, you or Kael or…” he tilts his head and pauses for a moment, “Taiwo, you can take your best shot now and see if you can put me down. Or you can call in Tenebris to take his best shot, if he decides to show up and take me on. Maybe it’s just the kind of last stand I need right now in my life to make it a bit more… exciting.”

  This guy’s either fucking nuts or super powerful and I end up landing on both. I expected the first proper cyborg I met to be more like a computer. More structured, more logical and calculating. Definitely less prone to whims that could cause widespread destruction, but maybe he’s calculated the odds already and he likes them for some reason.

  Syvox stares at me, a bit tense, expecting a response. For the first time I feel my Danger Sense rise slightly. I glance over at Kael, uncertain. It doesn’t seem like he’ll go away easy.

  “The ‘Dispute Resolution’ room?” I suggest to Syvox.

  “This isn’t a fucking game, Bronwic, except to the fuckers who run the SSA and the whole way the Enforcers work. And the Koldaavi Championships, they run those too. Get you to do some of their dirty work, I bet? You’re bloody interesting and I’m bored enough to come with you and see what happens. Or… we can draw blades and I can get banned from yet another Enclave. Boo… fucking… who.”

  I don’t know what the right thing is to do, but I do know that a few things Syvox says resonate with me. The rest of what he says, I’m not sure if he’s batshit crazy or not. I know that my Luck has recently been bolstered sky high and my gut instinct is to do it. I know I’ve got people with me who don’t share the same views as Syvox and that’s a problem. Maybe I need someone with a black hat to keep me from blundering into stupid mistakes and living in an echo chamber.

  With less confidence than I like, I invite Syvox to the Party.

  “Send a message to Aelara,” I ask Taiwo. “Tell her she’s not needed with our Party anymore, but she can pick anywhere in the Universe she wants transport to, if she wants.”

  I see Kael and Taiwo tense up as I add Syvox to the Party, then let it go, and I note Syvox’s interest at my offer to send Aelara anywhere.

  Things just got a whole lot more interesting.